Duties & Protocols

I. Duties and Protocols

Extern hours. Mon-Fri, 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM or until all patients are treated. Monday and Wednesday may be earlier due to surgery if it is week to be assigned. Our weekly podiatry conferences will be posted.

Students should provide contact information so they can be notified of scheduling changes or called for emergency surgery.

Student Packet – DVA Eastern Colorado – VA Denver

Pre-arrival and First day: See Pre-Registration and Your First Day

Duties and Protocols:

Dress: Clinic attire with white coat. Scrubs permitted. NO denims.

Extern hours. Mon -Fri, general clinic hours are 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM. Monday and Wednesday are earlier due to surgery. This may vary due to inpatient rounds.

1. What is your diagnosis?

Clinical Responsibilities: After your appropriate paperwork is completed, students may begin assisting the residents with the clinic patient load. Your primary responsibility is to work under the direction of a podiatric resident.. Observing, scrubbing on surgical cases, writing operative reports and orders, attending rounds and consults. Periodic journal club and conferences. The residents and/or staff will assist you in using the computerized medical records system we use for charts, orders and prescriptions. You must understand that this hospital only recognizes graduate Doctors, not student Doctors, as able to assume direct patient responsibility. This extern program encourages students to assume clinical responsibilities [with graduate Doctor Supervision] and as much hands on patient care in the clinic as the student is able to demonstrate to the residents and podiatric staff. New patient/triage clinic students present to attending. When rescheduling new patients check with the resident you are working with.

CPRS (Computerized Patient Record System) We have templates available to start a note, use them. By inserting information under each heading of the template you insure a complete note. You also need to insert either a visit type (E&M code) or procedure code and one or more diagnosis codes into a note encounter. It is recommended that at the time your patient is entering the treatment room you should begin a computerized note. It will act as an electronic reminder for you to complete the note if not done immediately. Staff and residents will always help if you have a question.

Students who do not complete their clinic notes will not be granted an interview for the residency.

Dispensing of post-op shoes, CAM/CAST walkers, Powerstep OTC orthotic devices, all require a consult be placed in CPRS. Ask the resident how to do this.

Equipment: Most equipment is provided; you should bring a SW monofilament, penlight, tractograph and millimeter gauge.

Externship Scheduling: Dr. Prokop will schedule externs, distributed as evenly as possible over the year. This will be compiled into a spreadsheet. He will answer questions on scheduling. Students will be emailed information at least a month or more prior to their arrival. Housing is available off site at the student’s expense. The Surgery office staff you may interact with is Sheila Johnson. She is located in Room 4C-117 in Surgery Service.